August Book Club Title: Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

Novel Tea 'n Pages Book Club members are currently reading, 'Snow Flower and the Secret Fan' by Lisa See.

The story is set in China during the 19th Century and encapsulates life in Chinese society for women, including the tradition of foot binding and the life expected of those put through this painful ordeal. The novel addresses the formalities and rankings within traditional families and allows insight into the way women cope and live.

In one remote county, Ms See writes of women who have developed their own secret code, nu shu – "women's writing" – the only gender-based written language to have been found in the world. She speaks of some girls who were paired as "old-sames" in emotional matches that lasted throughout their lives. These women painted letters on fans, embroidered messages on handkerchiefs, and composed stories, thereby reaching out of their windows to share their hopes, dreams, and accomplishments. Her story embraces the special relationships formed between these women that last a life time.


Below are some discussion questions to ponder as you read this month's selected novel.

Book Club Discussion Questions

1. Lily endures excruciating pain in order to have her feet bound. What reasons are given for this dangerous practice?

2. Did See's descriptions of footbinding remind you of any Western traditions?

3. If some men in 19th-century China knew about nu shu and “old same” friendships, why do you think they allowed these traditions to persist?

4. Reflecting on her first few decades, Lily seems to think her friendship with Snow Flower brought her more good than harm. Do you agree?

5. Lily's adherence to social customs can seem controversial to us today. Pick a scene where you would have acted differently. Why?

6. Lily defies the wishes of her son in order to pair her grandson with Peony. Does she fully justify her behavior?

7. Lily sometimes pulls us out of the present moment to reflect--as an old woman--on her youthful decisions. What does this device add to the story?

8. How would you film these moments of reflection?

9. If Lily is writing her story to Snow Flower in the afterworld, what do you think Snow Flower's response would or should be?

10. Did you recognize any aspects of your own friendships in the bond between Lily and Snow Flower?

(Credits for Book Club Discussion Questions:  http://www.lisasee.com/sfbookclub.htm )


For more titles by Ms Lisa See, please visit her website:  http://www.lisasee.com/snowflower.htm

So until next time,
happy reading...

July Book Club: The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox by Maggie O'Farrell

It is such a joy to sit with a novel and discover upon completion, the author has truly mastered their technique and made the experience worthwhile. That is how our book clubbers felt after reading this month's nominated book, 'The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox'. Ms O'Farrell has trimmed the fat and chosen her words and phrases with much thought, consideration and clarity.

She has tackled topics that are as current today as they were back when the story was set in the early 1930s in Edinburgh. Sibling rivalry, mental illness, family relationships, pregnancies out of wedlock, and family secrets, are just a few of the complicated topics Ms O'Farrell tackles in her succinct novel. Her work is a page turner and very easily read. It is a book that can be read in one sitting or savoured over a number of sittings.

Ms O'Farrell's writing technique with this work is intriguing and captivating. She uses more than one voice to tell this tale and leads the reader through a unique reading pattern to shift perspective.

This work was a hit with our book clubbers and a highly recommended read if you haven't read it already. Below are some reading guide questions for those who like to mull things over.

The Reading Guide:

1. When Iris gets the call from the psychiatric hospital, she is put in a very difficult position. What does she stand to gain and lose from the decision she eventually makes? What would you do in her shoes? 

2. How have years of incarceration affected Esme? Has she retained any of the qualities we see in young Esme, before she is committed? Does she seem sane to you?

3. The story contains several twists – what are they, and which did you find the most shocking?

4. Considering all that Kitty has done, all that has happened to her, and the dementia she has suffered in old age, are you able to feel sympathetic towards her?

5. The relationship between Iris and Alex is a complex one. How does it seem to have influenced their relationships with others?  By the end of the novel, do you think they had reached any kind of resolution?

6. How did you find the end of the book? Can you think of any alternative endings that might have worked?

7. What similarities, and what differences do you see between the younger Esme, and the younger Iris?

8. This is a novel with a very complex time scheme. What techniques does the author use to handle this?

9. This has been described as Maggie O’Farrell’s best novel so far. Do you agree?

10. The relationship between the sisters is very complicated. In what ways does it change as they enter adulthood?

11. How do you think people’s attitudes towards unmarried mothers have changed since Esme was a young girl? How different would her life have been had she been able to keep her baby?

12. What do you feel the book tells us about mental institutions? Do you think people’s attitudes have changed since the first half of the 20th Century?

Suggested further reading:

The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
The Wide Sargasso Sea - Jean Rhys
The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
Hallucinating Foucault - Patricia Duncker
Flesh and Blood - Michèle Roberts
The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins
Rebecca - Daphne du Maurier
The House of Mirth - Edith Wharton
Good Behaviour – Molly Keane
Vanity Fair – William Thackeray

(Credits for Reading Guide: www.maggieofarrell.com/readingguides.html)

So until next time,

happy reading...